The Board of Censors Moves Out

Art Historical Context

In 1822, during France's Bourbon Restoration—a period of political tension following Napoleon's defeat—Eugène Delacroix, the rising star of Romanticism, collaborated with printer Motte to create *The Board of Censors Out*. This rare lithograph, the only known state, captures a satirical scene featuring men, donkeys, carts, and devilish figure, gleefully mocking the heavy-handed censorship enforced by royal authorities. Delacroix's wit shines through, using humor to lampoon the censors as foolish or corrupt pack animals hauling away their burdensome regime. Lithography, a revolutionary medium perfected around 1800, allowed artists like Delacroix to draw directly on stone for crisp, reproducible prints—ideal for disseminating subversive ideas to a wide audience at low cost. At just 10 x 13 9/16 inches, this sheet packs a punch with its dynamic composition and exaggerated forms, hallmarks of Delacroix's early style before his fame with grand canvases like *Liberty Leading the People*. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this work highlights how printmaking fueled political satire, challenging power structures and paving the way for Romanticism's emphasis on emotion and rebellion. A clever snapshot of 19th-century dissent!

About the Artist

Eugène Delacroix|Charles Motte · 1798–1863

Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) stands as the defining figure of French Romanticism and a pivotal bridge to modernism. Born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice near Paris, he came from distinguished lineage—his mother descended from the prestigious Oeben-Riesener furniture dynasty, while persistent speculation suggested the statesman Talleyrand may have been his biological father, a theory supported by physic...